Patentable/Patents/US-9721354
US-9721354

Stop weighted waveform

PublishedAugust 1, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A waveform monitor includes a brightness measuring system to generate brightness values that are then converted to stop equivalents. The conversion may be performed using a Look Up Table. The output is generated as a stop vs. time waveform. Methods of generating the stop vs. time waveform are also described.

Patent Claims
17 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. A waveform monitor having an image input and a monitor for viewing a measurement display, the waveform monitor comprising: a measuring system to measure brightness values for pixels from an original image received at the image input; a converter structured to generate stop values from the measured brightness values; and an output generator structure to generate a stop versus time waveform.

Plain English Translation

A waveform monitor displays measurements of video signals. It takes an image as input, measures the brightness of individual pixels, converts these brightness values into "stop" values (representing exposure levels), and then generates a waveform graph that plots these stop values against time. This allows users to visualize the exposure levels in the video signal over time.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The waveform monitor of claim 1 , in which the converter structured to generate stop values comprises a Look Up Table (LUT).

Plain English Translation

The waveform monitor described previously converts brightness values to "stop" values using a Look-Up Table (LUT). This LUT provides a mapping between brightness and corresponding stop values, allowing for quick and efficient conversion. This replaces mathematical conversion with a direct lookup.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The waveform monitor of claim 2 , in which the LUT is one of a plurality of previously stored LUTs accessible by the waveform monitor.

Plain English Translation

The waveform monitor that uses a Look-Up Table (LUT) to convert brightness to "stop" values can select from multiple pre-stored LUTs. Users can choose a LUT appropriate for their needs. This allows switching between different conversion mappings.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The waveform monitor of claim 2 , in which the LUT is configured to convert the measured brightness values to a Log 2 (Y/Y max ) scale, where Y is a brightness value from the measured brightness values and Y max is a maximum brightness value from the measured brightness values.

Plain English Translation

The waveform monitor using a Look-Up Table (LUT) converts brightness values to "stop" values based on a logarithmic scale. Specifically, the LUT converts brightness to a Log 2 (Y/Y max ) scale, where Y is the pixel's brightness and Y max is the maximum brightness value in the image. This represents the brightness data in stops relative to the maximum brightness.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The waveform monitor of claim 1 , in which the converter is further structured to convert the measured brightness values into a linear light representation.

Plain English Translation

The waveform monitor described previously converts measured brightness values into a linear light representation. This means the brightness values are converted to a scale that directly corresponds to the amount of light, before further conversion to stop values and display as a waveform.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The waveform monitor of claim 1 , in which the stop versus time waveform includes a Y-axis scaled in stops.

Plain English Translation

The waveform monitor described previously displays the stop versus time waveform with the Y-axis (vertical axis) scaled in "stops". This means the vertical axis represents exposure levels, allowing users to easily read the exposure range of the video signal directly from the waveform.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. A method of generating a display for output from a measurement instrument, the method comprising: receiving an original image formed of pixels; extracting brightness information from the pixels; converting the brightness information of the pixels to stop equivalents; and displaying the stop equivalents versus a time value.

Plain English Translation

A method for generating a display for a measurement instrument involves taking an image, extracting brightness information from its pixels, converting the brightness information into "stop equivalents" (exposure values), and displaying these stop equivalents against a time value. This generates a visual representation of the exposure levels in an image.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising iteratively performing the receiving, the extracting, the converting, and the displaying to produce a stop versus time waveform for the stop equivalents.

Plain English Translation

The method for generating a display by converting pixel brightness to stop equivalents and displaying against time values repeats the steps of receiving an image, extracting brightness, converting to stop equivalents, and displaying iteratively. This creates a continuous "stop versus time" waveform that dynamically updates as new images are processed.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. The method of claim 7 , in which converting the brightness information of the pixels to stop equivalents includes determining the stop equivalents with a Look Up Table.

Plain English Translation

In the method for displaying exposure information, converting brightness information to stop equivalents is done using a Look-Up Table (LUT). The LUT provides pre-calculated stop equivalent values for different brightness levels, speeding up the conversion process.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The method of claim 9 , in which determining the stop equivalents with the Look Up Table includes converting the brightness information to a Log 2 (Y/Y max ) scale, where Y is a brightness value within the brightness information and Y max is a maximum brightness value of the brightness information.

Plain English Translation

Within the method of converting brightness to stop equivalents using a Look-Up Table (LUT), the brightness information is converted to a Log 2 (Y/Y max ) scale before lookup, where Y is a pixel's brightness and Y max is the maximum brightness. The LUT values are stop equivalents corresponding to those log values.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The method of claim 7 , in which converting the brightness information of the pixels to stop equivalents includes determining the stop equivalents with one of a plurality of previously stored Look Up Tables.

Plain English Translation

In the method for displaying exposure information, the stop equivalents are determined using one of several pre-stored Look-Up Tables (LUTs). This allows the user to select from a range of conversion curves, which are each encoded as a specific LUT.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. A system for assessing live video from a camera, comprising: a camera adapted to generate a video output; and a waveform monitor having an image input coupled to the video output of the camera and a monitor for viewing a measurement display, the waveform monitor comprising: a measuring system to measure brightness values for pixels from an original image received at the image input; a converter structured to generate stop values from the measured brightness values; and an output generator structure to generate an stop versus time waveform.

Plain English Translation

A system for assessing live video from a camera includes a camera generating video and a waveform monitor. The waveform monitor receives the camera's video, measures pixel brightness, converts brightness into "stop" values, and generates a waveform graph plotting these stops against time. This allows real-time monitoring of exposure levels in the live video feed.

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. A system for assessing live video from a camera of claim 12 , in which the converter structured to generate stop values comprises a Look Up Table (LUT).

Plain English Translation

The system for assessing live video, which includes a camera and a waveform monitor, utilizes a Look-Up Table (LUT) in the waveform monitor to convert pixel brightness values to "stop" values. This LUT provides a mapping between brightness and corresponding stop values, allowing for quick and efficient conversion of live video signal.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. A system for assessing live video from a camera of claim 13 , in which the LUT is one of a plurality of previously stored LUTs accessible by the waveform monitor.

Plain English Translation

The system described previously, where brightness values are converted to "stop" values by a LUT, uses one of a number of previously stored LUTs accessible by the waveform monitor. The user may switch to a different LUT when needed.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. A system for assessing live video from a camera of claim 13 , in which the LUT is configured to convert the measured brightness values to a Log 2 (Y/Y max ) scale, where Y is a brightness value from the measured brightness values and Y max is a maximum brightness value from the measured brightness values.

Plain English Translation

The system for assessing live video, that has a camera and a waveform monitor with an LUT, uses a LUT that converts the measured brightness values to a Log 2 (Y/Y max ) scale, where Y is a brightness value from the measured brightness values and Y max is a maximum brightness value from the measured brightness values.

Claim 16

Original Legal Text

16. A system for assessing live video from a camera of claim 12 , in which the converter is further structured to convert the measured brightness values into a linear light representation.

Plain English Translation

The system for assessing live video described previously converts the measured brightness values into a linear light representation. This conversion to a linear light representation happens within the waveform monitor, and prior to eventual stop value conversion and display.

Claim 17

Original Legal Text

17. A system for assessing live video from a camera of claim 12 , in which the stop versus time waveform includes a Y-axis scaled in stops.

Plain English Translation

The system for assessing live video described previously displays the stop versus time waveform with the Y-axis (vertical axis) scaled in "stops". This means the vertical axis represents exposure levels, allowing users to easily read the exposure range of the live video signal.

Classification Codes (CPC)

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

August 13, 2015

Publication Date

August 1, 2017

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